Written in Blood
Diane Fanning
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
2001 · Durham, North Carolina
Kathleen & Michael Peterson
Disputed justice
Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 2001. Her husband Michael’s murder conviction was followed by a new-trial order and, in 2017, an Alford plea to manslaughter. He maintained his innocence while accepting the plea’s legal consequences.
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The Story
When2001
WhereDurham, North Carolina
In this collection35 resources
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The Staircase — documentary series
Netflix
A documentary perspective to explore alongside the written sources.
Clues — Kathleen Peterson
Apple Podcasts
An audio option for exploring this case while listening.
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Nicknames & media names
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Blogs & Essays
Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →
From the journal
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Ink 19
The Staircase :: Ink 19
A 2005 review analyzes the original Staircase documentary’s narrative choices and omissions.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsDiane Fanning
Written in Blood
An author’s account of a disputed case. Check the edition date alongside the case summary and later reporting; legal outcomes may have changed.
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Search Amazon · paid linkExplore this book
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
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Movies & TV
Movies
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TV & documentaries
4 itemsAbout these sources
Episodes, documentaries and title listings. Season and episode numbers follow the linked catalog and can differ by service. Air dates are separate from crime dates. Playback availability varies by service and region.
Netflix
The Staircase — documentary series
Nonfiction screen coverage of this case. The linked page identifies the program or episode; playback, subscriptions, and regional availability vary.
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Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
IMDb · Screen title
The Staircase (2004)
IMDb title reference connected to the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Listed release: 2004. Cast, credits, and title information; viewing availability is separate.
Screen TitleTitle Details · Not Playback
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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb
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IMDb · Screen title
The Staircase (2022)
The eight-episode scripted series stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson. This 2022 adaptation is distinct from the documentary with the same name. The broadcaster announcement confirms the production, not current streaming availability.
Fiction / DramatizationFree Production Announcement · Not Playback
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NBC · 2017 catalog, Episode 16 · Listed air date 2017-04-07
Dateline NBC — Down the Back Staircase
Includes coverage of Kathleen & Michael Peterson.
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Search Amazon · paid linkEpisode details on TVmaze
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
Episode data: TVmaze · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Audiobooks
Listen to a book connected to this story. Each edition below is matched to its author and audiobook source.
Audiobook
Written in Blood : A True Story of Murder and a Deadly 16-Year-Old Secret that Tore a Family Apart
Audio edition verified at the linked source. The Amazon button is a title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed.
Edition checked 2026-10-12
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
IMDb · Screen title
The Staircase (2022)
The eight-episode scripted series stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson. This 2022 adaptation is distinct from the documentary with the same name. The broadcaster announcement confirms the production, not current streaming availability.
Fiction / DramatizationFree Production Announcement · Not Playback
Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Search Amazon · paid linkViewing options & episode details
Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.
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Podcasts
Podcasts
16 itemsAbout these sources
Audio episodes and oral histories. Personal recollections are attributed perspectives; some services require sign-in.
Apple Podcasts
Clues — Kathleen Peterson
Direct episode page for this case or its screen adaptation. Open it for listening options and the publisher’s episode notes.
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RedHanded
Episode 328 - The Staircase: Michael Peterson - Part 1
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released December 14, 2023. About 82 minutes.
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True Crime with Kendall Rae
“The Staircase”: Did Michael Peterson Kill Kathleen Hunt?
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released March 14, 2023. About 59 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
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Killer Psyche
Michael Peterson & the Staircase Murder
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released June 3, 2025. About 46 minutes.
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Southern Fried True Crime
176: The Pop Culture of the Michael Peterson Case
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released April 28, 2023. About 128 minutes.
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RedHanded
329 - The Staircase: Michael Peterson - Part 2
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released December 21, 2023. About 69 minutes.
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Show 10 more podcasts
Mile Higher
The Staircase: Case Of Kathleen Peterson & The Michael Peterson Trial
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released July 23, 2018. About 141 minutes.
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RedHanded
FROM THE VAULT - The Staircase: Michael Peterson - Parts 1&2
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released July 13, 2026. About 153 minutes.
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I Could Murder A Podcast
Michael Peterson: The Staircase Killer
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released April 21, 2024. About 96 minutes.
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The Casual Criminalist
Michael Peterson: The Staircase Killer Who Went Free
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released August 26, 2026. About 94 minutes.
PodcastAccess Varies · Check Source
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Dateline NBC
Down the Back Staircase
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released September 19, 2021. About 84 minutes.
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Rotten Mango
#44- The Sinister Staircase (Case of Michael & Kathleen Peterson)
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released March 3, 2021. About 117 minutes.
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Mystery and Murder: Analysis by Dr. Phil
The Staircase Mystery
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released April 15, 2026. About 62 minutes.
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Crime Weekly
S2 Ep105: Kathleen Peterson: The Staircase (Part 1)
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released December 30, 2022. About 118 minutes.
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Crime Weekly
S3 Ep108: Kathleen Peterson: The Other Man (Part 4)
Podcast coverage of the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Released January 20, 2023. About 104 minutes.
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Rotten Mango · Stephanie Soo
Rotten Mango — Kathleen & Michael Peterson (Episode 44)
Episode 44 discusses Kathleen & Michael Peterson. The official episode page identifies this case and provides the show’s listening options. Contains descriptions of violence; this is podcast commentary, not a court record.
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Social Media
BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Where would you start?
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Talk about sources and storytelling with care for the people affected. A documentary, a book and a court record serve different purposes.
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
4 sourcesExplore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.
OverDrive · Library Access
Written in Blood — Ebook
Diane Fanning. Related reading for Kathleen & Michael Peterson. Check participating libraries for this edition. Borrowing requires an eligible library card; availability and waits vary.
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Open Library · Catalog / Availability
Written in blood by Diane Fanning
Bibliographic record for related reading. Check the edition page for previews, lending and other access options; full text has not been confirmed.
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Written in Blood
Diane Fanning. Related reading for Kathleen & Michael Peterson. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access.
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Everand · Subscription Access
Written in Blood — Audiobook
Diane Fanning. Related reading for Kathleen & Michael Peterson. Check the current subscription terms and available sample; trial offers are not permanent free access.
View Subscription Options ↗Last Checked: · Access may changeReport a Link (Email)
Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
1 itemstheguardian.com
Reporting on Kathleen & Michael Peterson
Linked reporting or commentary. Read the source date for its historical context; access may require a subscription.
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Newspaper clippings
2 itemsFeatured newspaper clipping
Read our original summary below. The archive link opens the newspaper’s own clipping viewer.
The Record · 2001-12-22 · Page 5
Peterson indicted after Kathleen’s death
A report covers the grand-jury indictment and Michael Peterson’s denial.
The later murder conviction was vacated; Peterson subsequently entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter.
Newspaper ReportingAccess Varies · Check Source
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Read the original at Newspapers.com. Access and subscription requirements are set by the archive.
Open full clipping at Newspapers.comMore from the newspaper archive
Continue with these dated reports on Newspapers.com.
Rocky Mount Telegram · 2003-10-15 · Page 3
Jurors explain the 2003 Peterson verdict
Jurors discuss the physical evidence and their decision after the original trial.
This conviction was later vacated; the article is a historical jury account.
Read this article on Newspapers.comKeep following the newspaper trail.
Search original reporting, follow the trial, and compare how newspapers covered the case over time.
Explore more on Newspapers.comNewspapers.com controls access to its archive. A subscription may be required; existing subscribers can sign in.
Internet Archive
3 itemsAbout these sources
Library records and preserved media. A catalog listing does not guarantee full reading or playback.
Internet Archive · TV News Archive
Dateline NBC : WNBC : March 19, 2016 8:00pm-10:00pm EDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Michael Peterson. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
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Internet Archive · TV News Archive
Dateline : MSNBCW : August 26, 2018 11:00pm-1:01am PDT
The archive indexes this broadcast under Michael Peterson. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
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Internet Archive · TV News Archive
Dateline Extra : MSNBCW : December 23, 2018 6:00pm-8:00pm PST
The archive indexes this broadcast under Michael Peterson. It may contain several stories; use any available captions or previews to locate the relevant segment. Full playback may be restricted.
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court opinionArchive copy
State v. Peterson — original Staircase appeal
The 2006 appellate opinion in Michael Peterson’s prosecution for Kathleen Peterson’s death. It predates the later new-trial proceedings and plea.
- Court / agency
- North Carolina Court of Appeals
- Document date
- September 19, 2006
- Case / citation
- 05-973
- Hosted by
- Justia
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Positive Outcome
Positive Outcome
0 itemsAbout these sources
Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.
No case-specific reform has been verified for this collection yet.
Social Media
6 itemsAbout these sources
Case-specific posts, videos and communities. Community opinions are separate from verified reporting. Platforms may require sign-in.
Kendall Rae
The “Staircase”: Did Michael Peterson Kill Kathleen Hunt?
Video from Kendall Rae covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 1:00:31.
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DoctorOz
The Staircase: Did Michael Peterson Kill His Wife? | Oz True Crime
Video from DoctorOz covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 21:04.
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The Casual Criminalist
Michael Peterson: The Staircase Killer Who Went Free
Video from The Casual Criminalist covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 1:30:32.
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Dr. Todd Grande
Staircase Murder (Kathleen Peterson) | Was Michael Peterson Guilty? | Mental Health & Personality
Video from Dr. Todd Grande covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 22:27.
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Dr. Phil
'When I Watched You In The Documentary, I Saw A Lot Of Lie Behavior,' Dr. Phil Tells Guest
Video from Dr. Phil covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 4:40.
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Crime Weekly
Kathleen Peterson: The Staircase (Part 1)
Video from Crime Weekly covering the Kathleen & Michael Peterson case. Length: 2:02:29.
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